Bleav in Titans

Rami Lavi opens the show talking about the scary scene on Thursday Night Football between the Bills and Dolphins.

Rami says Tua's new contract could alter his decision from the one he made in 2022.

Also, Mike McDaniel continues to prove he is a great head coach.

Aaron Rodgers had a strongly worded message to Jets fans, imploring them stick with the team through the ups and the downs of a long NFL season. Rami loves the QBs message and says its a departure form the "Same Old Jets" mentality.

Last Rami shares his and Bilal Powell's prediction for the Jets game on Sunday in Nashville.

Caleb Williams makes his NFL regular season debut at home against the Titans. Gabe (@chicago_gabe), Marshall (@mharrrisonair), and Clay (@clayharbs82) give predictions on how much the Bears will pass vs. run, how many takeaways there will be, and they discuss just how good Tennessee is. Plus they predict the playoff teams for the 2024 season.

The Tennessee Titans clearly did not feel they came out of the preseason with everything they needed from a personnel standpoint. Not only did they make the mandatory cuts to get to the regular-season limit of 53 players, they subsequently made some trades, claimed three players off waivers and made a handful of other moves. ... Among the biggest surprises of all the transactions is the fact that the Titans will enter Week 1 with five tight ends on the roster, even though they plan to use plenty of wide receivers. ... The trades included the acquisition of fourth-year linebacker Ernest Jones. To get a guy who was a starter for most of his three years with the Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee seemingly gave up little. ... Tennessee was No. 7 in waiver position and used that spot to claim three players -- all on defense and all with extensive special teams experience -- that their prior teams had hoped to retain as members of their practice squad. ... Trades also sent two players packing. Defensive back Elijah Molden, a third-round pick in 2021, went to the Los Angeles Chargers, and quarterback Malik Willis, a third-round pick in 2022, went to Green Bay, and each brought a seventh-round pick in return.

The Titans improved to 2-0 in the preseason with Saturday's 16-15 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, and they did so with the help of an unlikely hero. Rookie kicker Brayden Narveson made three-fourth-quarter field goals, including a 59-yarder that gave Tennessee its first lead and a 46-yard game-winner as time expired. Even so, the best he can hope is that it was enough for another team to want to sign him. ... Malik Willis was the Titans' starting quarterback against the Seahawks, but in the critical moments of that contest it was Mason Rudolph under center. That probably says all there is to say about whether Willis has any chance to be Will Levis' backup. ... While the issue at backup quarterback might be settled, other spots are up for grabs. Perhaps the most interesting battle is between Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut for the final running back spot. Others like linebacker Chance Campbell, wide receiver Jha'Quan Jackson, outside linebacker Jaylen Harrell and tight end David Martin-Robinson are among those who have found ways to stand out and have made strong cases to make the final roster. ... This week, Netflix premiered its latest episode of Untold, this one on former Titans quarterback Steve McNair and the circumstances surrounding his murder. The program did not reveal any new information except for one notable item -- a long-sought revelation from former coach Jeff Fisher. McNair's college glory days at Alcorn State also were detailed this week in an ESPN.com story. ... The starters will be back in action Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, and there are reasons to think it will be a beneficial performance in the final prep for the regular season.

Robby Stanley of the Nashville morning sports talk show Robbie and Rexrode (102.5-FM, The Game) fills in for the vacationing John Glennon to talk all things Titans. ... The preseason opener against San Francisco ended with the Titans getting a 17-13 win. It started will all of San Francisco's big names on the sideline while most of Tennessee's number-ones played a quarter or more. It ended with players and coaches saying any win (even in the preseason) is an important step toward making winning a habit. ... Quarterback Will Levis, who directed two scoring drives in that game, made national headlines days later with the release of Will Levis Cologne, a fragrance inspired by his love for mayonnaise. But did he and the creators use the wrong mayonnaise as their inspiration? ... After two days of joint workouts with the Seattle Seahawks, coach Brian Callahan said he does not need to see the starters play against the Seahawks in Saturday's preseason contest at Nissan Stadium. ... Malik Willis will be the Titans' starting quarterback against Seattle, which could be his opportunity to lock down a roster spot or an opportunity to showcase him as a potential trade target. ... If the San Francisco game is an accurate indictor, the Titans are well-positioned to take advantage of the NFL's new kickoff rules.

Days before their preseason opener, the Tennessee Titans found out the player they expected to be their starter at right guard, Saadiq Charles, had decided to retire at just 25 years old. Charles' decision creates a new opportunity for 2021 second-round pick Dillon Radunz, and adds to the questions that already exist about the offensive line overall, the right side in particular. ... More than two weeks into training camp, Tennessee finally signed veteran safety Quandre Diggs, a three-time Pro Bowler who did not miss a single game over the past four seasons with Seattle. Diggs does not have great size -- he is 5-foot-9, 197 pounds -- but he adds elements of speed and range that likely have been missing from the rear of the defensive backfield. ... Coach Brian Callahan said all starters who are healthy enough -- with the exceptions of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and outside linebacker Harold Landry -- should expect to play some against San Francisco. That will be a distinct departure from recent years under Mike Vrabel and should give an indication of how well players have picked up the new schemes installed by Callahan and his staff. ... As always, newcomers and players down the depth chart will be the ones to watch in the preseason. This year, that includes guys like rookie defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat, who has to show he is as good as he has looked on the practice field, and third-year quarterback Malik Willis, who this time is fighting for a roster spot.

Jeffery Simmons got into a couple of fights during the first of this year's Tennessee Titans training camp practices with players in full pads. It's not necessarily a huge deal now, but it is not the kind of behavior that can be repeated during a game, and -- for one of the team's leaders -- it certainly does not set a good example. ... Things got worse when, after practice, Simmons confronted a local sports talk radio host, who was on the air at the time, in a vulgar rant to protest something the host wrote on X. It should be no surprise to Simmons (or anyone else) that not everything you see on X is happy and positive. He needs to deal with such things much better. ... A day later, Simmons did apologize, but there was no way to go back in time and undo what he did. ... It was reported this week that outside linebacker Arden Key will miss the first six games of this season for violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The Titans are not exactly flush with talent at that position. Yes, there are options to replace Key, but it is possible that the personnel department will have to sign a still-available free agent to adequately deal with the situation. ... Speaking of players still available, former Titans quarterback recently spoke about his current situation on a podcast and made it clear that is his not sitting at home just waiting for the phone to ring. It also seems clear, though, that if the right call comes, he will be more than happy to take it and to get back to work.

Will Levis had the worst completion percentage among all qualifying NFL quarterbacks in 2023. Head coach Brian Callahan has said improvement in that regard is a central mission for the staff and for Levis this season. Some of that improvement will have to come from Levis himself, via his decision-making and his understanding of a new playbook and offensive philosophy, not to mention experience. Some will have to come from the offensive line and receivers who can make his job that much easier. ... Speaking of Levis, he certainly looked the part of a starting quarterback in the NFL as he traveled the world. walked some red carpets and did what he could to assert himself as the leader of the offense. He also has been a refreshing and interesting interview, unlike most of his recent predecessors with this franchise. It all paints a picture of a young man who is willing to embrace the stardom that typically comes with playing the game's most important position, even if he has not yet established himself as a star. ... General manager Ran Carthon said he expects a consensus of franchise decision-makers will produce the 53-man roster at the end of the preseason. It sounds nice but also is not likely realistic. Having been promoted to Executive Vice President/General Manager early in the offseason, he has to show that he is willing and able to make the final call when necessary. ... Callahan has said that starters should expect to see action in all three preseason games, which is a serious departure from the how the previous coaching staff approached things. Given all the offseason changes, it seems to be a prudent approach.

The Tennessee Titans prepped for training camp by announcing seven hires and 13 promotions within the football operations and personnel departments. In case anyone wondered how much power general manager Ran Carthon currently wields, it is apparent now that he has things set up the way he wants. ... Ralph Ockenfels announced his retirement after 26 seasons in the front office, most recently as Vice President of Business Development. Whatever role he filled, he worked to improve the fan experience and to strengthen the connection between the team and its supporters. A salute to Ralph Ockenfels. ... Carthon finally made a long-anticipated move with the addition of a veteran safety, in this case Jamal Adams. The sixth overall pick in 2017 by the New York Jets, Adams is a three-time Pro Bowler who has played just 10 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. There are legitimate questions about how much he actually will contribute, but his connection to and familiarity with defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is reason for optimism. ... A recent article in The Athletic revealed that the Titans agreed with the Baltimore Ravens on a fourth-round pick (it could have been a third) for running back Derrick Henry last year at the trade deadline but someone other than Carthon ultimately nixed the deal. So, should Tennessee have made that trade? And who is likely the one who wouldn't do it? ... With the start of training camp a week away, we look at the questions that need answers ahead of the regular season. ... Finally, ESPN only ranked two Titans among the top 10 in the NFL at their respective positions, and both barely cracked the top five.

The Fourth of July falls at a time of inactivity for the NFL, but for the Tennessee Titans, it is an unforgettable day. It has now been 15 years since Steve McNair was murdered in Nashville, and the 2003 NFL co-MVP remains the standard by which all of the franchise's quarterbacks of the Titans era (1999-present) are measured. ... Countering the optimism among the fan base about the likelihood that the offensive line will be better this year, Pro Football Focus says Tennessee is headed to training camp with the NFL's 30th-best blocking unit. Uncertainty about who will start on the right side and the reliance on youth on the left likely figure into that determination, which seems -- nonetheless -- harsh. ... Former general manager Jon Robinson made a couple of deals to trade up in the 2022 draft to select wide receiver Treylon Burks (first round) and quarterback Malik Willis (third round). Now, both are regularly mentioned as players who could or should be traded before the regular season arrives. Is there merit to that line of thought, and if so, what might each bring in return? ... When it comes to setting the 53-man roster, wide receiver is a spot that varies widely in the number of players teams typically keep. Tennessee has more talent at that spot this year and plenty of options. So, what is a reasonable number of wide receivers to keep, and who might they be?